Camp Palawopec and Izzy Stradlin (c) 2024 Patrick Tyrrell and RockNRollConcerts.Live

Let me tell you a story of the Hoosier State.

Brown County, Indiana is where the Camp Palawopec campers were led by my camp counselor (for two years)--the General of the Forest.

His name is Jeff Isabel, A.K.A., Izzy Stradlin. He is named after a stock options trade. From Lafayette, Indiana, he’s the general of the forest, and he knows software, he knows email (before anyone), and . . . Jeff Isabel knows how to play an acoustic guitar even back in 1983.

Some of the most individualistic, self-reliant Americans in the Universe come from Lafayette, Indiana. My grandfather was born there when that part of Indiana was probably not much more than a “cow town” on the American prairie. Case in Point, my grandfather used to hitchike down to Florida in the 1930s when there was no Interstate Highway System– he was self-reliant.

Now, why were (and are) Longhairs from The Hoosier State so self-reliant, and ruggedly individualistic?

I’ll answer that by telling you a true story.

If you ever noticed, the sides of many highways have been dynamited, and sheer rock cliffs “straddle” if you will, both sides of the road.

It was on just such a road, in Brown Couny, Indiana, where the general and I were searching for Geodes, which are rocks. I’d smash the little ball-like rocks to see the crystals. My hypothesis is that Geodes might be pieces of Stalagmites or Stalactites that have been rounded by the elements, but that is just a guess. . . (I know some people know more about it than me). We were scavenging for Geodes when I came across something interesting . . .it was a tombstone from the 19th century. Then I found lots of tombstones.

“Yo, Jeff, it’s a Pet Cemetary, they have them in my neighborhood in Bloomington, Indiana also.”

“That’s no pet cemetery” said the General and he conferred with the other teenage counselors.

“It’s not on the map.”

“Oh.”

I think we were both a little sad about it.

Imagine this road, later dynamited to make a flatter highway, back in the 19th century, when these tombstones were laid.

Back then, these little tombstones stood on a peaceful sunlit hill, where the summer landscape looked pristine and clean and enchanted—like a painting I have seen at the Washington D.C. National Gallery of Art.

So what happened here? Jeff Isabel did not tell me what he thought,

Here’s my educated guess though – some of Jeff’s, Axl Rose’s, Axl’s cousin--the long-lost Forest Greenleaf Grass’-- Axl’s cousin, Amy Greenleaf Grass’s, and my ancestors were on the prairie, perhaps in covered wagons, when, for whatever reason; they died.

Scalped?

Perhaps.

So some Pioneers got scalped? Yeah maybe, but not before they popped a few kids out, in places like: Bloomington, Indiana, Lafayette Indiana, Terre Haute, Indiana, Jasper Indianna, Bedford Indiana, and Vincennes, Indiana, among other famous street fighting towns.

Story #2.

On another occasion, me and Jeff Isabel, who, a few years later would move to L.A., California with his homeboy Axl Rose, were hiking with a large entourage through the Indiana forest, we had several dogs with us.

My favorite dog there was a mutt named Lady.

So, we’re a conquering terrain on foot in Central Indy when who do we come across? None other than a Timber Rattlesnake--the largest Timber Rattlesnake ever seen in Indiana, maybe the largest one ever seen anywhere. It was all coiled up, the size of a Burmese Python, in the middle of the sassafras and sycamore forested trail, shaking its rattle-tail at our group of Hoosiers.

Lady was a dog that would sacrifice herself for Indiana boys if necessary, and she charged the snake, but somehow any potential strike was averted.

Story #3.

Jeff Isabel and I dropped down in an old well on a farmer’s property, and with about ten of us, we explored miles of underground terrain in Indiana caves, which Izzy had a map to—where you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face . . .eating mac’ n’ cheese, and leaving no trace for four days without seeing the sun . . .

“Cavin’ Baby!” was the war cry in the cave.

What is it Mammoth cave? Salamander Cave? I am not sure, but I did four days underground two different times in the 1980s with Jeff.

Story #4.

Jeff Isabel could be right next to you, but you wouldn’t know it because he knows how to hide beneath the leaves.

Story #5.

One day, when I was in 4th grade, I put my arms around Jeff Isabel’s back shoulders as we were sitting around in a creek bed. Jeff was wearing a blue shirt with yellow letters on the back that read “Isabel”.

Jeff semi-recoiled, thinking I was a homosexual, which I am not, and I said something to him.

I said, Jeff, can I ask you something,

“Yes.”

“What's so Civil about War, anyway?”

That's what I said.

The pioneer-spirited Jeff Isabel shoved off for Los Angelous, California the next year with his friend, Axl Rose, and they became Guns N’ Roses . . .It's best not to mess with pioneers.

Here’s my camp counselor, Jeff Isabel, A.K.A. Izzy Stradlin, a cool mu&^%%&r, right?: